Learning how much Wolves have to spend in summer is ‘key’ for Julen Lopetegui

Julen Lopetegui insists Wolves need to spend to avoid another relegation dogfight.

The former Real Madrid manager has guided Wolves to safety with three games left, despite being bottom of the table at Christmas.

He is due to meet chairman Jeff Shi before the end of the season to thrash out the club’s plans for the summer and beyond now their Premier League status is assured.

Those talks will include discussions over his transfer kitty at Molineux after a season of struggle.

“We have to be together in the same way, we want to improve. In football you have to want to increase your performance and squad. This is about investment too,” said Lopetegui ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester United.

“I am going to have a long meeting with our chairman to hear him and hear what his ideas are for next year. This is going to be key for me.

“That’s why I have to hear him and know first hand what his ideas are. After I will have more information to take a decision.

“We have to improve and have to take advantage of the summer. If not we know the level of the Premier League; the first step is to hear him.

“Afterwards we will take our decision about a lot of players. In the right moment I’m going to talk, first with the club and afterwards with the players about what is going to be our idea.

“We want to improve, we need to improve. We have had a very hard year. We have to be ready to improve and be able to compete better in the next year.

“We have to be ready. This year has been a very hard year for all, maybe it can serve as a lesson for all of us.”

Lopetegui has no new injury worries for the trip to Old Trafford with Wolves 13th and 10 points clear of the drop zone.

“United are a very good team, with top players, a good coach with a very clear idea in the way they want to play,” he added.

“They are fighting to be in a good position to be in next season’s Champions League. This is a very difficult achievement.”